Summer/Fall had a nice long run here in Alberta, but it’s just about that time! Getting our vehicles Winter-ready is important for safety. Not just for yourself, but for your passengers and others on the road.
As a parent, I am always doing my best to keep the kiddos as safe as possible, including in the car. Winter roads can be worrisome when you think about slick highways, black ice, longer stopping time, proper traction on snowy roads and the list goes on and on.
+7 Tire Swap Reminder
+7 is the magic number, guys! When the weather is consistently at or lower than +7 degrees Celsius, it’s time to swap over to Winter (or all-weather) tires. Remember: “All season” tires are really 3-season and not the safest option for Winter driving conditions in Canada. If your tires have been deemed safe for our coldest season, they will have the Mountain Snowflake Symbol on the tire wall.
Safe Winter tire options include:
- Basic Winter Tires
- Studded Winter Tires
- All Weather Tires – these can be driven year-round and are a great way to budget, as you only have to buy one set! (as opposed to a set of Summer tires & a set of Winter tires)
Tire Pressure
Tire pressure should be checked every time the consistent daily temperature changes by 10 degrees, or every 30 days. Kal Tire will check this for you for free! Just drive up to your nearest location and call to let them know you are outside and would like your tire pressure checked/adjusted. As soon as someone is available, they will come out to check for you, free of charge.
Tire Tread
Tire tread wears over time. Do a visual inspection every season to make sure yours are still holding up! You can use a depth gauge (if you have one) or use the Toonie method!
Toonie method to check your tire tread:
- Stick a Toonie into your tire’s treads
- If the Toonie goes in all the way to the bear’s paws, your tires are very new
- If the Toonie can go in to cover all of the silver, they are about 50%
- If the Toonie reaches only about halfway (or less) into the letters on the silver part of the coin, it is probably time to think about replacing the tires.
Safety first! You can shop online for new tires to compare features and prices before you decide to purchase. Kal Tire’s website has a feature where you enter the year, make & model of your vehicle and it gives you the sizes that will fit on your car (or you can go from there based on your current rim size) and see the options available for your specific ride. Cool, right?!
Browse the Kal Tire site for sales, rebate offers, package deals and more useful tips on keeping your vehicle running the safest possible.
Good to know: AMA Members save 5% on all products and services at Kal Tire.
This post was sponsored by Kal Tire.